1. Field of Invention
This invention is in the general field of table games and, more particularly, is an apparatus that mechanically deals playing cards to players of a table game and electronically controls the game.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Table games in a casino are usually grouped in an area managed by a floor person provided by the casino. The casino additionally provides a dealer at each table where a table game is played. It should be understood that the floor person and the dealer are paid employees of the casino. Therefore, when the casino is a host to the table game, salaries of the floor person and the dealer are sustained as a core expense of the casino.
In blackjack, for example, a player competes against the casino. There is frequently a dishonest player and a dishonest dealer who cheats at blackjack. Since the player competes against the casino, cheating is sustained as a core expense of the casino. Additionally, the cheating creates an environment that many casino patrons seek to avoid.
Because of the cheating, there is typically a strategic placement of security personnel and surveillance cameras in the casino. The security personnel and the cameras reduce the cheating. Salaries of the security personnel and the cost of the cameras are sustained as a core expense of the casino.
The payment of the salaries of the security personnel and the cost of the cameras are substantially reduced when the casino is a host to a slot machine because construction of the slot machine makes cheating difficult. Additionally, there is no need for the dealers and the floor person. It would be desirable for the casino to be a host to a table game that has many of the characteristics of the slot machine.
According to the present invention, a top of a card table has a card dispensing hole therethrough. The table top is covered by a transparent, dome shaped cover. The table top has a dealer position centrally located thereon and a player position proximal to an arcuate edge of the table. An extendable arm is included in a card placement assembly that is rotatable about a center of curvature of the edge. The arm has an end connected to a card carrier that is operable to carry a card. The extension of the arm and the rotation of the assembly is controlled by signals from a computer to cause the card carrier to carry the card from the card dispensing hole to either the dealer position or the player position. The card carries a readable code identification thereon. A code reader of the card carrier provides a signal representation of the identification to the computer.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention should be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.